1. SiG@MaRS!
October 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011!
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Pg 1

2. SiG@MaRS
Advisory Services (and Human Resources)!
Active Client
Clusters Emerging Evolving Developing
Clients
- Over this reporting period the social innovation programs at MaRS:!
- Employed 17 staff and/or consultants"
- Engaged 11 active volunteer advisors!
- Secured 10 interns for the social finance programs as well as dozens of committee
volunteers"
- Worked with 4 pro bono professional services!
- Provided services to 85 active clients, most of whom were categorized as Emerging,
Evolving or Developing – with resources allocated accordingly"
- Worked with clients in 10 general clusters: education; agriculture, food & natural
products; community hub; arts & culture; environment; employment; social technology;
finance & philanthropy; housing and healthcare"
- Provided workshops to high potential clients"
Pg 2
Confidential Information - Not for Redistribution

3. SiG@MaRS!
Social Enterprise Marketplace at MaRS – December 2010 !
These social ventures sell products
and services such as printing,
courier services, catering, crafts and
interpreter services. Many work
within the not-for-profit sector to
employ ʻmarginalizedʼ populations
that creates both training and
employment opportunities for
people that are traditionally hard to
employ – such as people with lived
experience of homelessness or
mental health challenges"
Pg 3

4. SiG@MaRS! http://www.marsdd.com/news-insights/meet-the-entrepreneurs/tiffinday/"
Case Examples!
(Kevin Van Paassen/The Globe and Mail)"
One Voice One Team! Blue W!
Through the use of With a simple idea of
professional athletes as providing access to tap
mentors; OVOT has worked water, Blue W has
with SiG@MaRS through all secured contracts with 10
stages of development and municipalities and has
has recently secured a received extensive
contract with the Toronto business advice and
legal services from Tiffinday!
District School Board under
SiG@MaRS to determine From walking into MaRS with a
the banner of equity"
the appropriate corporate tiffin and an idea, Tiffinday has
structure for this venture" launched a triple bottom line
business and has received
extensive media attention for
working to provide healthy
meals, with zero waste,
delivered by people with
developmental challenges"
Pg 4

5. SiG@MaRS!
Innovations in Education Cluster!
One of the most active clusters of activity is innovations in education: eight (8)
different ventures have been taken through design thinking, strategic foresight and
business model generation to support their work in introducing innovations into the
education system; this cluster is planning a national conference in the Fall 2011"
Pg 5

6. SiG@MaRS!
Convening – Net Change Week!
Global thoughts leaders were brought to MaRS for Net Change Week – a week long festival
of training and inspiration that enables attendees to use social tech for social change. With
over 1500 participants and virtual attendees from over 45 countries, this has become of one
the pre-eminent events of the year for social change leaders."
Pg 6

7. SiG@MaRS!
Convening – Social Finance Forum!
"This year the Social Finance Forum was a release of the report of the Canadian Task Force
on Social Finance entitled: Mobilizing Private Capital for Public Good. !
!This video was shown at the launch and shows the global thought leaders supporting this
work. http://socialfinance.ca/taskforce/video"
With over 600 people registered to attend this event, the response was
overwhelming. Two groups – Philanthropic Foundations of Canada and Phillips
Hager & North – also held their “impact investing” events at MaRS following the
Task Force launch thus turning the week of December 3rd into Social Finance Week
at MaRS."
Pg 7

8. SiG@MaRS!
Convening – Social Entrepreneurship Summit !
The Series on Aging was held in partnership with the Ontario
Trillium Foundation and featured speakers such as Atkinson fellow
Judy Steed and SiG@MaRS social entrepreneur, Vickie Cammack
of Tyze. Through a virtual tour of UK best practice initiatives,
participants were inspired to understand the opportunities for the not-
for-profit sector to better serve our aging population"
Event Wordle!
This event also launched the Community Accessibility
Award to promote organizations that provide superior
access for people with disabilities – SiG@MaRS staff
Hadley Nelles and Nii Sakeyfio led this program"
http://www.marsdd.com/2011/02/08/changing-age-at-this-years-business-of-aging-conference" Pg 8

9. SiG@MaRS!
Thought Leaders !
This group of global thought leaders were
engaged to support the launch of the
Canadian Task Force on Social Finance!
These thought leaders were given an opportunity to
present at MaRS to advance our understanding of
social innovation based on their experience as
thought leaders in innovation; philanthropy; social
technology and/or asset-based approaches to social
change"
Pg 9

10. SiG@MaRS!
Events at MaRS with a Social Innovation Focus!
MaRS opens its doors to the community to provide events that support social
innovation. For this time period – eln studio – the Emerging Leaders Network,
launched a high profile event to advance their initiatives; a celebration was
held for John Mighton who was inducted into the Order of Canada; YSEC
held their re-Vision session and Treehouse held several high profile events to
encourage new communities to come together to accelerate social change."
Pg 10

11. SiG@MaRS!
Convening – Presentations at Strategic Events!
In addition to bringing thought leaders to Ontario, SiG@MaRS is often asked to present at several
strategic events – 21 in this reporting period or to attend key events – 15 in this reporting period.
Below is an example of one such event. Annually The Muttart Foundation in Alberta holds
consultations on regulatory issues. This year, SiG@MaRS was asked to attend to help the CRA set
their strategic plans in regards to the work of the charities division. This was an intensive four day
process with key connections made and input given and received."
The Muttart Consultation process is an example of the Foundationʼs view that it can make contributions through
convening people. Since 1997, the Foundation has hosted periodic discussions to allow the sector and government to
discuss regulatory issues…the Foundationʼs contribution is bringing together a group of people to solve a common
problem. These consultation processes are marked by several traits that participants have said make them useful and
often successful: Participants are asked to leave their agendas at home. These are not negotiation sessions, they are
attempts to use problem-solving techniques to resolve a common issue. No one is asked to commit to any decision.
The object of the consultations is to have a full discussion about the nature of an issue and alternatives to dealing with
it. Participants spend two full days concentrating on the one issue, something one participant termed “an incredible
gift.” Discussions remain confidential."
Pg 11

12. SiG@MaRS! “SiG is a national collaboration addressing
Canada's social and ecological challenges by
Convening - Networks! creating a culture of continuous social
innovation”"
As part of a national collaborative, SiG@MaRS
has access to enhanced communities, both
geographic like BC, funders, and academia –
that helps accelerate the uptake of social
innovation"
CAUSEWAY is a collaborative project anchored with Social Innovation Generation (SiG)
National and hosted at SiG@MaRS. Causeway is a 3 year project whose objective is to
fast-track Canadaʼs adoption of social finance, ensuring there is a healthy social finance
marketplace supported by mainstream financial institutions serving a national constituency
of charities, social enterprises, social economy entities, community economic development
institutions and cooperatives. In this period the work of Causeway was focused on the
Canadian Task Force on Social Finance."
Pg 12

13. SiG@MaRS!
Convening - Government Relations!
SiG@MaRS has been working at the federal level to support the uptake of social
innovation and social finance, in particular with HRSDC."
SiG@MaRS works closely with several Government of Ontario ministries to
support social innovation. In particular for this reporting period: the
Partnership Project, social procurement, briefings on the Canadian Task
Force on Social Finance, the SVX and opportunities for positioning Ontario as
a leader in the social innovation economy globally. We also worked with the
Government of BC on their committee on Social Entrepreneurship."
SiG@MaRS also works with municipalities to ensure they are aware of opportunities
for social innovation to assist them in their work."
SiG@MaRS also has the opportunity to work with governments in other countries to promote
social innovation. In this period we were consulted by the Office of Social Innovation and Civic
Participation in the US and entertained governments from both Denmark and Sweden."
Pg 13

14. SiG@MaRS!
Convening - Key Networks!
There is incredible momentum and interest in social innovation. Given our intention of
integrating social innovation into the mainstream innovation agenda – we see this as a strong
symbol of success. SiG@MaRS has worked with groups across the innovation spectrum.
From our work with leaders in the field of social entrepreneurship like Ashoka and Volans to
engagement of unusual stakeholders like Centennial College and the Social Investment
Organization to work with Community Foundations and healthcare institutions like Toronto
Rehab and CAMH.!
Featured network: Ernst & Young, Entrepreneur
of the Year. SiG@MaRS is an active advocate for
the Social Entrepreneur category. Last year the
winners were SiG@MaRS client:"
Parker Mitchell, George Roter!
Engineers Without Borders Canada | Toronto!
ewb.ca!
Engineers Without Borders engages 50,000 members in 35 chapters to promote the idea that
lasting change in Africa will stem not from charity, but from helping foster opportunity.!
Pg 14

15. SiG@MaRS!
Accelerate – Knowledge Brokering!
SiG@MaRS continues to contribute to thought leadership through knowledge brokering – research
moved to action – through the white papers series and the extensive of scanning of information
resources which are then distributed through social media – facebook – twitter accounts – blogs –
vimeo – flickr – mail chimp and through traditional presentations."
SiG Canada"
@sigeneration"
MaRSDD Toronto"
@MaRSDD"
Pg 15

16. SiG@MaRS! Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council"
www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca"
Accelerate - Research!
Community-University Research Alliances
SiG@MaRS is not a research institute but we do partner with others to ensure the success of their
research and to ensure it reflects the needs of social entrepreneurs. Each of these groups is
working on projects that examine the changing nature of the social economy sector in Canada."
SiG@MaRS is currently working on the following projects:!
Jack Quarter, Ph.D.
(Toronto)"
Professor"
Adult Education and
Community Development
Program"
Tessa Hebb, PhD – Aaron Good, Public Policy
Carleton University" Forum on Social Enterprise"
Pg 16

17. SiG@MaRS!
Accelerate - Education!
Over this time period, SiG@MaRS has
formed and led a consortium to support the
development of a School for Social
Entrepreneurs in Ontario"
Geoff Cape, founder of Evergreen
presented at our Lived It Lecture
for Entrepreneurship 101 in
November 2011"
Entrepreneur's Toolkit
There are 17 articles aimed
specifically at Social Entrepreneurs
in the Entrepreneurʼs Toolkit, many
of were revised I this reporting period!
Allyson Hewitt of SiG@MaRS facilitates
a panel of social entrepreneurs for our
Meet the Entrepreneurs session in
November 2011"
Pg 17

18. SiG@MaRS!
Accelerate – Enabling Change Partnership Project!
In partnership with the National
Quality Institute and funded by the
Ministry of Community and Social
Services – SiG@MaRS developed a
program to help entrepreneurs
succeed in meeting their obligations
under the Accessibility for Ontarians
with Disability Act (AODA)."
This program had three components:"
1. Training advisors!
2. Compliance promotion –
including the development of an
Accessibility Award; and"
3. Education and Awareness
through changes to the
Entrepreneurʼs Toolkit, blogs and
promotion at the Series on Aging"
Pg 18

19. SiG@MaRS!
Innovative Program Development – Social Finance!
This report period saw extensive resources dedicated to
the report of the Canadian Task Force on Social Finance.
Several slides have already addressed this report and the
launch which took place at MaRS on December 3, 2010
with MaRS CEO Ilse Treurnicht as the chair of the Task
Force and host of the launch event."
Task Force on Social Finance membership includes:"
• Ilse Treurnicht (CEO, MaRS Discovery District)"
• Paul Martin (former Prime Minister)"
• Tamara Vrooman (CEO, Vancity)"
• Nancy Neamtan (Le Chantier, Quebec)"
• Tim Brodhead (McConnell Family Foundation)"
• Tim Jackson (Accelerator Centre, Waterloo)"
• Bill Young (Social Capital Partners) "
• Stanley Hartt (Chair, Macquarie Capital Markets)"
• Reeta Roy (President, Mastercard Foundation) "
• Sam Duboc (Edgestone Capital)"
And consists of seven (7) recommendations to mobilize access to private capital for public good."
Pg 19

20. SiG@MaRS!
Innovative Program Development – SocialFinance.ca!
Resources on the Canadian Task Force on
Social Finance were stored on
SocialFinance.ca which has become a global
resource for social finance"
For this reporting period, 104
new blogs were posted and
social media statistics show
increases in all areas. The
site is also a resource for
information on Social Impact Research was conducted during this
Funds and Products like the time period for an online Guide to
Social Impact Bond, Careers Social Finance, it will be launched in
in Social Finance, Metrics and Q1 2011"
Measurement and many other
timely topics"
Pg 20

21. SiG@MaRS!
Innovative Program Development – Social Venture Exchange (SVX)!
A partnership between the organizations listed above, the SVX had a focus on
Administration (regular meetings and engagement of interns); Profiling of ventures and
investors (including a Social Venture Census, information sessions, and case studies);
Impact Investor meetings; Research, Communications & Development, including work with
B Corporations and impact metrics webinars; Business & Partnership Development,
primarily focused on platform development and global network liaisons; and Design &
Regulation, work with Torys on pro bono legal services."
Work with B Corporations results in visits to US sites
and partnership agreements which sees SiG@MaRS
as the first partner for B Labs outside the US"
Pg 21

22. SiG@MaRS!
Communications!
Blogging is of vital importance to the work of SiG@MaRS – over this
reporting period 26 blogs on the MaRS site were tagged as social
innovation but there were over 100 on SocialFinance.ca and many more
on the sigeneration.ca!
SiG distributes thousands of
resources, such as this
postcard on Social
Innovation, brochures, white
papers, and information
resources on topics of interest
and writes for others such as
SEE Change Magazine!
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